Tip Sharpening: Especially on Hawkbills

[JD Spydo]

One of the most overlooked and most important dutys of knife maintenance is the sharpening of the tip of the blade. That's especially true with Hawkbills because the tip is such a vitally important part of the blade and a key essential to the overall performance of a Hawkbill.

Personally I've been using my Spyderco 701 Profile kit to sharpen just about all my knife blade tips ( especially Hawkbills). But I've also discovered that with a little special attention and the use of files and other devices and you can get most blade tips "wickedly sharp".

I'm just wondering how you all address this most important sharpening chore? Also please share with us any tip sharpening methods you deem to be better and beyond what most people settle for.

[jackknifeh]

I don't have any hawkbills but I just go real slow at the tip. That is to make sure I keep the stone at the right angle to the edge and I don't round the tip off. I want the edge bevel at the tip to look just like the rest of the edge. Bevel width the same on both sides and the tip like a needle as much as the blade shape and grind allows. Some blade shapes are not meant for puncturing as much as others but I try to get the tip like the point of a pin as best I can.

Jack

[ranger51]

I just sharpin the tip as I do the rest of the blade.

[razorsharp]

When I sharpen, I always seem to get the tip hair splitting like the rest of the blade anyways using cheapo lansky crocksticks

[JD Spydo]

The problem I run into by sharpening the entire Hawkbill blade (tip included) witht the 204 Sharpmaker is that I do tend to either round the tip off slightly thus taking away from it's needle-like point. By using the radii on my 701 Profiles I can accurately control everything all the way to the tip itself.

Even other blades such as recurves I've found the 701 Profiles to be extremely handy and very controllable when getting the tip to it's utmost sharpness.

I guess maybe I'm just a bit more particular than most when it comes to optimum sharpness. But Hawkbills do indeed require a little extra care if you want to duplicate the same sharpness and shape that it came from the factory.

It's funny that the one brother mentioned Lansky Crock Sticks because I can see where they would be somewhat more controllable than the edge/point of a 204 stone.

[razorsharp]

The problem I run into by sharpening the entire Hawkbill blade (tip included) witht the 204 Sharpmaker is that I do tend to either round the tip off slightly thus taking away from it's needle-like point. By using the radii on my 701 Profiles I can accurately control everything all the way to the tip itself.

Even other blades such as recurves I've found the 701 Profiles to be extremely handy and very controllable when getting the tip to it's utmost sharpness.

I guess maybe I'm just a bit more particular than most when it comes to optimum sharpness. But Hawkbills do indeed require a little extra care if you want to duplicate the same sharpness and shape that it came from the factory.

It's funny that the one brother mentioned Lansky Crock Sticks because I can see where they would be somewhat more controllable than the edge/point of a 204 stone.

I havent bought a sharpmaker yet cause the crock sticks, for $20
do VERY good. I do still want a sharpmaker one day, but Im saving for a belt grinder :/ :D

[JD Spydo]

I havent bought a sharpmaker yet cause the crock sticks, for $20
do VERY good. I do still want a sharpmaker one day, but Im saving for a belt grinder :/ :D

Hey don't let my dissatisfaction with the 204 Sharpmaker for Hawkbills and Spyderedged blades discourage you. Because for recurves, plain edged Hawkbills and standard blades as well as PE fixed blades the Sharpmaker is literally an answer to prayer.

The Sharpmaker is truly a piece of genius engineering and is truly useful for many sharpening chores. I'm just saying that the 701 Profiles does do certain sharpening jobs better. I truly believe every knife owner should own a Sharpmaker>> that's what I truly think of the unit.

But the 701 Profiles are just as much of a genius sharpening tool as the Sharpmaker. And the Profiles will do some jobs better.

This thread surprises me to this point :confused: As much as some of you all seem to be super picky about sharpening and maintaining your blades I'm truly surprised that many of you don't sharpen tips any different :confused:

[AKWolf]

Thanx JD, in for one 710 kit, should be here Friday. :) :spyder:

Yeah , I really hate rounding my tips. I deliberately almost slow/stop down at the tip. not sure if that proper though.

[razorsharp]

Hey don't let my dissatisfaction with the 204 Sharpmaker for Hawkbills and Spyderedged blades discourage you. Because for recurves, plain edged Hawkbills and standard blades as well as PE fixed blades the Sharpmaker is literally an answer to prayer.

The Sharpmaker is truly a piece of genius engineering and is truly useful for many sharpening chores. I'm just saying that the 701 Profiles does do certain sharpening jobs better. I truly believe every knife owner should own a Sharpmaker>> that's what I truly think of the unit.

But the 701 Profiles are just as much of a genius sharpening tool as the Sharpmaker. And the Profiles will do some jobs better.

This thread surprises me to this point :confused: As much as some of you all seem to be super picky about sharpening and maintaining your blades I'm truly surprised that many of you don't sharpen tips any different :confused:

oh im not put off, its going to be my next sharpener . I am starting to make knives and a grinder has priority lol.

[JD Spydo]

Thanx JD, in for one 710 kit, should be here Friday. :) :spyder:

Yeah , I really hate rounding my tips. I deliberately almost slow/stop down at the tip. not sure if that proper though.

Great purchase/decision AKWolf :) You will particularly like the way the Spyderco 701 Profiles sharpen serrated/Spyderedged blades to where they are just as good as they came from the factory

There are some tricks to using the 701 Profiles but with some good common sense you'll pick up on it very quickly I'm sure. It's also a great kit to throw into your "bugout bag" or "survival kit". I have A Sharpmaker, 701 Profiles and 3 of Spyderco's 302 Benchstones in my bugout bag.

I just wish that Spyderco would eventually make a 701 file in diamond.

[Evil D]

I don't have a Sharpmaker or a hawkbill other than my Ladybug....but the way i understand sharpening is that you want to move directly into the edge, which means you would have to rotate a hawkbill downward at the handle during the stroke to maintain a straight into the edge stroke all the way to the tip. I'm not sure i can explain it any better than that.

[AKWolf]

Wow , I just received my profile set and they are amazing. :spyder:

I can work with it better than the SM . I'm not dissing the SM , but this solution is working better for now . :spyder:

[JD Spydo]

Wow , I just received my profile set and they are amazing. :spyder:

I can work with it better than the SM . I'm not dissing the SM , but this solution is working better for now . :spyder:

Hey when I started experiementing with my first set back around 04-05 I was amazed at how many different edges I could sharpen with them. Very quickly I realized that it was primarily made to accomodate serrated blades of many different patterns and styles.

I was blown away how great they were on Spyderedged serrations and how they could sharpen them almost as good as what the factory does. I just wish they would come out with a diamond 701 Profile for rapid stock removal for really beat up serrated blades.

It does take some patience to get the hang of the 701 kit but it sounds like you're picking up on them very quickly. They are also a great tool to have for machine shop work of all types. Spyderco's sharpening tools are truly un-equaled in my opinion. I can't wait to get myself one of their "Goldenstones".

I guess the 701 is the best tool for tip sharpening that I can find so far.

[razorsharp]

Hey when I started experiementing with my first set back around 04-05 I was amazed at how many different edges I could sharpen with them. Very quickly I realized that it was primarily made to accomodate serrated blades of many different patterns and styles.

I was blown away how great they were on Spyderedged serrations and how they could sharpen them almost as good as what the factory does. I just wish they would come out with a diamond 701 Profile for rapid stock removal for really beat up serrated blades.

It does take some patience to get the hang of the 701 kit but it sounds like you're picking up on them very quickly. They are also a great tool to have for machine shop work of all types. Spyderco's sharpening tools are truly un-equaled in my opinion. I can't wait to get myself one of their "Goldenstones".

I guess the 701 is the best tool for tip sharpening that I can find so far.

Mate, your costing me money, I have to get the SM, AAAAND the files now. :cool:

[dj moonbat]

Thanx JD, in for one 710 kit, should be here Friday. :) :spyder:

Yeah , I really hate rounding my tips. I deliberately almost slow/stop down at the tip. not sure if that proper though.

Frankly, I think if you just try NOT to hit the tip, and only get it on the strokes where you go too far, you're probably OK.

Remember, there's very little steel to remove. The tip will take far fewer strokes.

[jackknifeh]

I'd like to add a kudo for the profile stone set. They are the most versatile set of stones I've seen. Plain edges, hawkbills and all re-curves, serrated edges all can be sharpened. I wouldn't want them to be my only shaprening tools but if you could only have one set of tools and you own many different kind of edges the profile set would be the way to go. I wish I had the leather sheath for mine. I got them on ebay for a very low price. When they came in the mail without the pouch I knew why the good price. That's ok though. I think I emailed Spyderco to see if I could buy a pouch. I think they replied that they didn't have any for sale. I have the stones and that's enough. I made a case for them out of cardboard. It's a real masterpiece. :rolleyes:

Jack

[jezabel]

I just wish that Spyderco would eventually make a 701 file in diamond.

+1... just so I can sharpen my S90V SE Millie eh

[razorsharp]

hmmmm, Im bidding on a SE D3, I might have get a profile set

[skatenut]

I found that rounding off the tip of a knife on the sharpmaker used to be almost inevitable, automatic, default in the beginning, since the rods are just a little less than .5 in. wide. It takes conscious, careful control not to run the tip off the rod for me, and I'm doing much better now.

I've also tried to sharpen knives starting from the tip to the choil or ricasso of the blade with good results, tip-wise. Took me a while to get used to it, it does feels strange in the beginning.

It's even more difficult to avoid rounding off the tip when just using the corners of the SM rods, unless I start at the tip of the blade. However, I rarely use the corners and if I do, I stop before the tip, rarely use serrated spydies, that's why I haven't used my 701 set, so far.

I also noticed two deep cuts in the plastic base at the 40° side of the sharpmaker from being hit repeatedly with the edge while sharpening, oops. I now pay more attention to avoid hitting the base. I could fix a stub of a pencil with tape to the base to absorb the cuts.

If all that fails, I use my Spyderco ceramic bench stones to sharpen the tips.

Interesting thread, thank you, JD!

[JD Spydo]

I found that rounding off the tip of a knife on the sharpmaker used to be almost inevitable, automatic, default in the beginning, since the rods are just a little less than .5 in. wide. It takes conscious, careful control not to run the tip off the rod for me, and I'm doing much better now.

I've also tried to sharpen knives starting from the tip to the choil or ricasso of the blade with good results, tip-wise. Took me a while to get used to it, it does feels strange in the beginning.

It's even more difficult to avoid rounding off the tip when just using the corners of the SM rods, unless I start at the tip of the blade. However, I rarely use the corners and if I do, I stop before the tip, rarely use serrated spydies, that's why I haven't used my 701 set, so far.

I also noticed two deep cuts in the plastic base at the 40° side of the sharpmaker from being hit repeatedly with the edge while sharpening, oops. I now pay more attention to avoid hitting the base. I could fix a stub of a pencil with tape to the base to absorb the cuts.

If all that fails, I use my Spyderco ceramic bench stones to sharpen the tips.

Interesting thread, thank you, JD!

I completely agree with everything you said Brother :) You do indeed make a good observation about the flats of the 204 Sharpmaker stones being only .5 of an inch wide. What I did to remedy that problem was just to simply slow down my strokes and be very mindful not to let the tip skate off the edge. You can get the hang of it in short time by just practicing.

I too have chopped up the base of one of my 204 Sharpmaker units and I love your idea of putting some type of material at the base to absorb the blade hitting the surface. It doesn't necessarily have to be a piece of pencil either it could be any polymer material you could tape or epoxy on to the base to extend it's life.

The 302 Benchstones ( or any benchstone for that matter) are great for sharpening long blades with pronouced tips on them. For instance today I was using my 302 Benchstone set to resharpen my Temperance 1 model. By taking my careful time and keeping the angle consistent I was able to get it wickedly sharp. The 302 Benchstones are great when you keep them in their base container while sharpening. The containers have 4 rubber tabs that keep it from sliding on a hard surface. I would like to make some type of jig where you could set up some 302 Benchstones in the same configuration of the stones on the 204 Sharpmaker.

But again for Hawkbills I've yet to find any tool better than the 701 Profiles.